TY - JOUR
T1 - Linked data: Opportunities and challenges in disability research
AU - Glasson, Emma
AU - Hussain, R.
PY - 2008
Y1 - 2008
N2 - Background Disability research data often exist in the form of individual records located within discrete registers that may extend across sensitive political boundaries.Method This paper discusses the opportunities and challenges associated with using linked health and administrative data for disability research, with examples from research projects conducted both in Australia and overseas.Results Linked data offer distinct value in providing a comprehensive profile for a range of health issues, such as morbidity, mortality, assessing health care costs and/or quality of service provision.Conclusions While the use of record linkage in health research is not a novel concept, recent advances in technology and electronic data management plus improved data linkage protocols have markedly increased the feasibility and opportunity for successfully utilising data linkage for the purposes of research, while at the same time protecting the privacy of the individual. An awareness and appropriate management of the associated challenges is required to maximise the outcomes of disability research using linked data.
AB - Background Disability research data often exist in the form of individual records located within discrete registers that may extend across sensitive political boundaries.Method This paper discusses the opportunities and challenges associated with using linked health and administrative data for disability research, with examples from research projects conducted both in Australia and overseas.Results Linked data offer distinct value in providing a comprehensive profile for a range of health issues, such as morbidity, mortality, assessing health care costs and/or quality of service provision.Conclusions While the use of record linkage in health research is not a novel concept, recent advances in technology and electronic data management plus improved data linkage protocols have markedly increased the feasibility and opportunity for successfully utilising data linkage for the purposes of research, while at the same time protecting the privacy of the individual. An awareness and appropriate management of the associated challenges is required to maximise the outcomes of disability research using linked data.
U2 - 10.1080/13668250802441409
DO - 10.1080/13668250802441409
M3 - Article
C2 - 19039688
SN - 1366-8250
VL - 33
SP - 285
EP - 291
JO - Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability
JF - Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability
IS - 4
ER -